Italy is reporting 681 new COVID-19 fatalities, the first time the daily increase has fallen under 700 in more than a week.
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The country's coronavirus death toll, the world's highest, now stands at 15,362.
The total number of infections, including recoveries and deaths, reached 124,632, up 4.0 per cent from Friday.
The daily rate of increase has hovered around this level throughout this week.
For the first time since the start of the epidemic there has been a fall in the number of people under intensive care, down by 74 to 3,994.
"This is very important news because it allows our hospitals to breathe," Civil Protection Agency chief Angelo Borrelli said presenting the figures.
Australian Associated Press
